TNAG-2716-FCO40-3922-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 16

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

C.

SECRET

2

Governor's proposal are inconsistent with the BL.

Rebuttal

C.1

To

We believe the proposals are consistent with the BL.

be

specific the Governor made seven proposals on the 1994/95 elections in his LegCo address.

A (1) То lower the voting age from 31 to

18.

(ii) (a) To

The BL for any is the China.

does not specify a voting age elections in Hong Kong. 13 voting age in both the UK and

replace the corporate voting in functional constituencies

existing

by individual voters.

(ii) (b) To

The BL does not define the electorate in functional constituencies.

propose

9

new

constituencies, as required

functional

by article

6 of the Decision of the NPC on the formation of the first Legco of the SAR promulgated with the BL.

The BL does not define what a Functional Constituency. should be. Common sense dictates it should be a group of electors defined by a common employment or other economic role. 1988 White Paper also stated

that

functional constituencies should be substantial and of importance in the community.

The clearly

Our

into

proposals

direct

ол

functional

constituencies will not turn them That

elections.

non-workers will have no right to vote distinguishes our proposal from

geographically

elections.

based

direct

FC elections not synonymous with indirect elections.

Many of the

existing 21 FC seats are elected directly by individual voters.e.g. Teaching,

Legal,

Engineering,

Architectural,

Surveying

and

Planning, Accountancy constituencies.

LEBUTTAL INCOASISKER

B.L.

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.